To Be a Man
by Snugglebunny83
Summary: Basically this is what I imagine happened to Spike after the last episode. This doesn't follow the comics in any way. Also, I do not own Spike, Angel, or any of the other characters except for my own. They all belong to Joss Whedon. I wish I owned Spike though. I'd like to borrow him for a day or two, but I think my hubby would get mad.
1. Chapter 1

They survived. The battle was supposed to be unwinnable. A glorious fight to the death in which they would surely perish. Yet, they had won, and somehow survived. Illyria had been their only casualty. As one last gift to Fred's parents, she had taken Fred's form one last time as she lay dying. With her final breath, she asked to be buried next to Wesley.

When the last foe had been vanquished, the Powers That Be restored Angel's humanity. None of them knew what to expect when this happened. They imagined it would be a great, glorious event, but all that really happened is Angel felt an intense feeling of warmth, he glowed for a moment, and then that was that. His heart beat again, and he was breathing. Angel had stayed long enough to help dispose of the bodies and see Illyria laid to rest in London next to Wesley as he promised.

When he met with Fred's parents after the funeral, they were still heartbroken over losing their daughter, but they were trying their best to understand that it all had happened for a reason. Mr. Burkel had shaken Angel's hand and Mrs. Burkel had kissed him and wished him good luck in his new life. Afterwards, he was off to Italy and the rest of Team Angel just scattered to the winds.

Lorne never got over what had happened with Lindsey and he was tired of Los Angeles. He ended up flying to Maui and opening up a new club. Angel and Spike both called to ask how he was doing and both got the same answer.

"Oh, Doing Alright. Managed to pull off the anti-violence charm myself this time and only singed my horns once. No, I don't want to see you just now. Actually, to be honest, I don't want to see you again, ever. Losing Cordy, and Fred, and Wes like that, and that whole shitty mess with Lindsey? I just can't do it anymore. I don't want to be reminded of it all. I just want out."

That was the last time any of them ever spoke to Lorne, though an acquaintance of Angel's who lived in the area kept them posted about what was happening with him.

Gunn stayed in L.A., and had met up with Ann again. The girl that ran the homeless shelter. The two of them struck up a pretty solid relationship and ended up getting married and running the shelter together.

Connor went back to his parents and finished college. After earning his law degree from Harvard, he took a year off to travel and just by chance one day in Berlin, he ended up running into Nina.

"So, your Dad, er Angel I mean. He's human now?"

"Yep. All mortal again and back with Buffy."

Nina nodded. It was for the best, hard as that was to deal with. Besides, there was that handsome Ukrainian guy at the hotel whom she was pretty sure was another Werewolf. Maybe things would work out alright after all.

"Well, I've got to be heading back now. If you hear from Angel, tell him I said hello and wish him all the best for me."

"I will. It was nice seeing you again Nina. Good luck to you."

After everything was said and done, Spike wasn't sure what to do. Everyone else had pretty much just up and left him. He ended up going back to his apartment for awhile. Days passed without any word from either Angel or the Powers. Spike just went on living his unlife like nothing had changed. He dusted a few vamps, and slayed a few demons. He played his X-Box, he played some kitten poker and got his ass kicked a few times for cheating. He played with his willy. Hey, a man has urges after all. He drank. He smoked. He watched the telly and ate chicken wings and blooming onions.

So it went for about a month, then one day he got a letter that changed everything. He had been watching an episode of Passions and enjoying a nice warm mug of pig's blood and Weetabix when he heard the sound of the mail slot opening and the flap of paper onto the floor. There wasn't much. Cable bill, advertising circular for a new computer store, latest issue of Hustler, and one letter postmarked Paris, France from a Mrs. Liam O'Connor.

Spike frowned as he looked at the envelope. Did he know a Mrs. Liam O'Connor? It wasn't ringing any bells. He slit the envelope open and drew out a folded sheet of cream colored paper and a photograph. When he got a good look at the picture, his heart dropped and his insides felt like they were loaded with lead.

It was of Buffy and Angel standing on the front steps of a beautiful Italian cathedral. He was in a tuxedo, she in a beautiful white gown with a lacy veil covering her blond hair. They were embracing each other and they looked so happy! Grouped around them were the rest of the gang. All of them smiling. Giles was standing just behind the happy couple on a higher step. Dawn and Andrew stood next to Buffy, holding hands. Willow, Kennedy, and Xander stood next to Angel. Xander was in the middle and both girls had an arm around him. Although he couldn't see them, Spike was willing to bet that the other Slayers and the rest of the Watcher's Council were in attendance.

He crumpled up the photograph and threw it down. He thought about doing the same with the letter, but ended up reading it instead.

_Dear William,_

_I'm sorry it all had to work out this way, but you and I both know that me and you would never work. I just would never be able to love you in the way you deserve. _

_I hope in time you will come to understand that. You are a good man. You deserve a woman who will love you and make you happy. This is something that I could never do. _

_I'm sure someday you'll find her. I'll never forget all you've done for Dawn and me. I wish you all the happiness in the world. _

_ Buffy_

Spike read those words over and over, trying to make sense of it all. He tried to be a man about it. Tried not to cry, but he couldn't hold the tears back any more than he could hold the world on his shoulders. They slid down his cheeks, hot and stinging. His lip trembled, and that was all it took. He fell to his knees and just let it all go. Sobbing, and shaking, and cursing. The letter had fallen from his hand and lay off to the side near the balled up photograph.

He beat his hands against the floor and screamed up at the ceiling.

"Is this enough?! Is this bloody well enough ya bastards?! I've got me fucking heart ripped out of me chest now. Have I suffered enough to win back my life?!"

Spike really didn't expect the Powers that Be to answer. Answer, they did.


	2. Chapter 2

One minute he had been on the floor crying his eyes out over Buffy. The next minute he was standing in some massive room that looked a lot like the White Room at Wolfram and Hart, yet less creepy feeling. The room was quiet and empty except for a single golden chair that reminding Spike of a throne. For awhile, the throne was empty, then before his eyes, a figure appeared in it. Someone who looked very familiar.

"Blimey, Is that really you Fred?"

"No, I am not Fred. I am the Powers that Be. I can take any form I choose. I figured this form would be pleasing to you."

"So if you are not Fred than what do I call you? What's your name?"

"I have many names. Call me what you like."

"Okay, not really understanding that one. So where am I?"

"You are where everything is created and all questions are answered."

"Alright, really not loving the enigmatic answers here pet. Can you just give me a straight answer as to why Captain Forehead gets the big human happy ending and I don't? I mean S'not very fair since I'm the one who actually wanted to get my soul back, and I went through those damn trials to get it. I'm the one who gets all toasted and ghosted trying to save the world."

"You will become human as well. It's just not your time."

"Well when in the bloody hell is my time?! I'm kinda getting sick of being dead here!"

"When you can love another and earn her love in return, you will become human."

"But I've already bloody well done that! Or don't you remember the thing with Buffy?"

"That wasn't true love. You may have loved her, but it was love built out of a need for revenge. A love built of jealousy, hatred, and greed. True love is none of these things."

"Brilliant, just bloody, sodding, brilliant. Spare me the poncy sentiments. How do I go about doing all that?"

The being that looked like Fred merely smiled for a moment, then snapped her fingers.

"Here is a good place for you to start."


	3. Chapter 3

Much to his surprise, Spike was zapped from the throne room and across God only knows how many galaxies and dimensions. He landed with a thump on a grassy median strip next to a two-lane highway in some dinky little town that he had never seen before.

It was dark outside, and it was summertime where he was. The question was though, just where in the hell was he? A black and white sign nearby told him the highway number was 150 West. The two-lane road behind him was 150 East. There wasn't a whole lot to be seen from where he was standing. Behind him, down the road a bit was a shoddy little gas station called the Short Stop. At this time of night, the Short Stop appeared to still be open, but at the moment was empty. Across the road in front of him was a tavern called The Little Nugget.

Spike snorted as he watched the jolly neon prospector on the sign raise and lower a glowing neon nugget of what was supposed to be gold. A smaller sign below that one advertised that at the Little Nugget, you can cook your own steaks. Seeing as he had no other prospects for the evening and no further pearls of wisdom from the Powers, or anyone else for that matter, Spike figured that a drink and a bite to eat was a good place to start.

He checked his wallet and found that he still had the four hundred dollars that Angel had given him the day before the big battle. That was more than enough for some whiskey, and something to eat. Placing his wallet back into his pants, Spike darted across the road to the tavern and went inside.

It wasn't anything spectacular. Just another honky-tonk dive bar that just happened to also serve food. A Budweiser clock over the bar showed the time to be 7:00 pm. The place was already pretty crowded and the atmosphere was noisy. There was a rattle of glass and silverware coming from a room Spike figured was the kitchen. A jukebox from another room blared out a Hank Williams Junior tune. There was a sizzling sound coming from what looked to be a giant barbeque pit in the larger of the two dining rooms. There was talking voices and the click of pool balls. There was electronic beeps and chimes coming from the two pinball machines and the electric poker machine.

Spike looked at the people and was a bit taken aback to see a few families with kids inside. Then he realized, it was still fairly early in the evening, and the place DID serve food. The real rowdiness and serious drinking probably didn't start until later.

He found a small table in a corner near the grill. When he got settled in, a girl in a simple black waitress uniform came up beside him and handed him a water glass and a menu.

"I'll be back in a minute Hon, to take your order."

Spike turned and watched her walk away towards another table. She wasn't half bad looking. Teeth were a bit crooked and she had on way too much makeup, but she had a nice ass and a pretty firm looking set of tits. Looking around the room, he saw that most of the women here weren't bad looking at all. Every once in awhile he caught a glimpse of a real ugly looking one, but most of the birds in this joint were alright.

He flipped through the menu. There was a pretty standard selection of foods. Burgers, steaks, fried catfish, sandwiches. A few appetizers. Nothing real thrilling. Just standard bar food. Spike was pleased to see that they had wings and blooming onions.

The girl came back as promised.

"So what can I get ya Hon?"

"Bottle of Jack Daniels, a basket of wings, extra spicy, a blooming onion...umm, anything else you recommend?"

"The fried pickles are good, and the catfish is our specialty. It's all you can eat tonight since it's Friday."

"Alright, gimme the pickles and the catfish too."

The girl repeated his order and when he nodded that everything was correct, she went off to turn it in. If she though it odd that one person would order so much food plus a bottle of whiskey. Not a shot mind you, but a whole bottle, she didn't say anything about it.

It didn't take long for her to return with a fully loaded tray. Another girl was with her and she had a new bottle of Jack and a glass.

"Do you need any ice Sir?"

"Nope, I just take it neat."

The girl nodded and set the bottle and glass down on the table. The first girl set down the food before him before asking if everything was satisfactory, and was there anything else he needed.

"Everything's fine Luv. Don't need anything else just now."

Spike was then left alone to enjoy his food and drink. He spun the cap off the whiskey and took a big drink, not even bothering with the glass. The whiskey went down smooth and warm. He looked at the plates and baskets before him, and wasn't sure what to eat first. He tried a fried pickle. They were as good as they were promised. He took a bite of the catfish and a few chips. He could see why the fried fish and chips were the house specialty. All they needed was some good malt vinegar to really bring out the flavor. He thought about asking for some, but he saw how busy the girls were, and figured he might as well just stick with the tartar sauce that the fish had come with. The wings were good and spicy, just the way he liked them, and last, but not least, the fried onion blossom was heavenly.

Spike really enjoyed himself. He ate everything he ordered, including a second plate of fish and chips and a brownie sundae for dessert. He finished the whiskey and three bottles of Guiness. He shot some pool, and played a round of darts. He asked for a few dollars worth of quarters which he dropped into the jukebox so he could hear some Queen. He sang and tried to dance along to "Fat Bottomed Girls." A couple teenage girls who were there eating out with their parents got up and danced with him. He lost a little money on the video poker machine, and gave a couple quarters to a kid who wanted to play the claw machine to win a stuffed animal.

He partied well into the night and it was only when last call came around and the bartender gently shooed him outside so she could close up, that he left. It was 2:00 a.m. when Spike stumbled out the door and into the night again. The parking lot was empty except for a single blue Chevy truck that belonged to the bartender. The streets and houses around that he could see were empty, dark, and quiet.

Spike stumbled along up and down the darkened streets with no particular destination in mind. He should have been thinking about seeking some sort of shelter before sunrise came, but at the moment he was too buzzed to really think of anything. Eventually he found himself in a quiet little neighborhood in front of a brown brick and siding house. The inside of the house itself was dark, but a single porch light glowed faintly.

"Not a bad looking set of digs. Think I'll sleep here tonight."

Spike said to himself, his voice slurring and his accent thicker than ever. He stumbled into the yard and was trying to make his way to the front door. He figured if the house was empty, a good kick would open the door, or he could always try to jimmy the lock with his pocketknife. Then again, maybe the house was occupied and all he would have to do would be to turn on the charm and get himself an invite.

He swayed and stumbled with every step he took. To be honest, he was downright knackered and VERY full. He belched and farted.

"Ugh. Sorta made a pig of myself back there. Well, at least it was worth it and those birds got a good tip outa me."

Since he was so tired and his eyes were bleary from too much booze, Spike didn't see the huge rock in the front yard until it was too late. The toe of his boot caught the rock and he went tumbling ass over teakettle, landing face down with said ass in the air.

"Bugger." He muttered into the soft dirt and passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

Now he was so exhausted that he could have slept like that forever, but a strange smell woke him up. A smell like cooking meat. It took a moment to register what was going on, but when he felt the sharp pain, he leapt to his feet with a scream and raced to the door like his ass was on fire. It almost was after all. It was starting to smoke.

Spike hammered on the door and screamed at the top of his lungs begging to be let in.

Jacki Demchak, the resident of the house had been sitting in her easy chair and enjoying a cup of tea and a good book when she heard the frantic hammering at the door and the screaming. The sudden loud noises made her jump and sent the book flying. Thankfully the cup of tea was sitting safely on the end table.

Now she didn't get visitors very often, and she was curious as to who could be demanding entrance to her home so early in the morning. It was only a little after 6 and on a Saturday to boot, most people would still be in bed.

With her curiosity winning over common sense, she opened the door and saw a most unusual sight of a man trying to cover himself with a smoking black leather duster. She wondered why he wasn't coming inside if he was obviously needing assistance.

"Ya gotta invite me in! Quick, quick! My bloody arse feels like it's on fire!" Spike squealed like a singed cat.

"Alright! Come in!" Jacki stepped back and Spike scooted inside.

"Thanks." He said and promptly passed out again.

Jacki stared at the prone figure lying on her living room floor and wondered what to do with him. She also wondered why in the hell had he been smoking like that. It was almost like someone or something had started to light him on fire. She looked out of the window. There was nothing to be seen out there except for the morning sunlight shining down. It appeared to be just another beautiful summer day. Then a strange thought started to form in her head. Pale skin? Burned by sunlight? Needed to be invited before he could come it? Her eyes fell on the cover of the book she had been reading. The _"Supernatural Book of Monsters, Spirits, Demons, and Ghouls."_ She picked it up and turned back to the chapter she had been reading. The chapter on Vampires.

"Oh Surely not." She whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

Spike awoke with a groan. He felt utterly miserable. His head was pounding and felt a thousand times too big. His mouth and throat were dry. There was an icky tasting greasy film on his teeth and fangs. His ass hurt from the sunburn. His leg hurt from the fall. His stomach was queasy and he felt nauseated. He wanted to vomit, but being a vampire, he couldn't. To get straight to the point, he was hung over and felt like shit.

"Aww bloody hell! I'm never fucking doing that again!"

"Well that's good to know."

The sudden voice caused him to jump. Spike blinked his eyes and tried to rub the crusty gunk from his lashes so he could see better.

"Here, let me."

A hand reached out and Spike could feel a warm washcloth being gently rubbed across his face. The washcloth rubbed away the gunk and he was able to see again. Leaning over him was a young woman with curly brown hair and blue eyes. The washcloth was withdrawn and he was handed a cup.

Spike sniffed the cup's contents . "Beef blood?" The woman nodded. He drank it all down and handed the cup back. The woman then handed him a couple small white tablets and a glass of water. Spike dry-swallowed the aspirin and chased them with the water.

"Better?"

"Yeah, a little. If I could just get a bath and a nice stiff toothbrush, I'd feel right as rain."

"That's no problem. Let me help you to the bathroom."

Spike slid out of bed and with the woman's help was able to stand. He was rather embarrassed to find he was naked. He tried to cover himself with his hands.

"Where in the bloody hell are my clothes?!"

"Your coat is hanging up in the coat closet. Your boots are by the front door. The rest of your clothing is in the dryer. I washed them for you."

"You mean to tell me you undressed me? What's the matter with you Yanks?! You never heard of givin' a bloke privacy?"

Jacki snorted. "Oh please. You have nothing I haven't seen already at least a dozen times. Your clothes were dirty and needed to be washed. Plus you probably slept better nude anyway. Now do you want that bath or not?"

"Yeah, I still want it. You gonna bathe me too?" Spike asked with a smirk.

"I'm going to assist you in walking to the bathroom. If there are any hard to reach areas, I'll help you wash them. Otherwise, I'll let you alone to bathe while I get a few things ready for you. You've got a couple of scrapes and burns that need tended to."

"So what's your name Luv?"

"Jacki. Jacki Demchak."

"Name's Spike. How'd you know to give me blood anyway."

"I kinda figured out what you were with the way you came in. I had some beef blood in the freezer for a recipe I was going to try. I can always get more."

Jacki held out her arm and Spike leaned against her for support. He was still a bit wobbly. Together they walked upstairs and into the larger of the two bathrooms. Jacki led Spike over to a stool and had him sit while she filled the tub. Spike looked around the room. It was nice. There was the big jacuzzi tub in a corner that Jacki was currently filling with water. The walls were papered with cream colored paper flocked with dusty blue and chocolate brown designs. Most of the floor was chocolate brown carpet except for the floor around the toilet and sink. That flooring was cream colored tiles.

A large walk in closet was set into one wall. Through a partially opened door, Spike could see his duster hanging inside along with an assortment of other coats. Next to the closet was a set of shelves. These were filled with spare towels and washcloths, baskets filled with first aid items, bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion, and boxes of soap and bath salts.

When the tub was full, Jacki helped Spike climb in. Then she handed him a clean washcloth and a new bar of soap. A clean towel was folded up and lying on the step in front of the tub. She then drizzled some purple colored oil into the water from a bottle sitting on the edge of the tub.

"What's that?" Spike asked, nodding at the bottle.

"Lavender and Aloe mixed with Jojoba oil. It's good for the skin. The aloe will soothe your burns and the lavender is supposed to be relaxing."

True to her word, she left Spike in peace to bathe while she got a few things together he would need afterwards. She put a new toothbrush and new tube of toothpaste on the sink for him and got down one of the baskets of first aid supplies. He wouldn't need much. Just some Neosporin and a couple of band-aids.

The soap and warm water worked wonders. Spike felt like a new man...er vamp. The sweet smell of lavender was soothing. He remembered his mum putting lavender into his bath water when he was a little lad. It had always helped him sleep. He was just about clean all over. There was just his back and his hair to deal with.

"Jacki, er...um...mind getting my back for me? I never could quite reach it on my own."

"Alright."

Jacki soaped the washcloth again and scrubbed his back. Spike sighed with delight. To be honest, he could wash his back fine on his own, he just liked other people to do it for him. Spike wondered if he could get her to wash his hair next. He decided to risk it and ask. To his surprise and delight, she agreed!

Jacki filled a plastic cup and wet his hair down. She started to reach for a bottle of shampoo that was sitting nearby, but stopped.

"Do you color your hair?"

"Yeah, I bleach it. Why?"

"It's the shampoo. I'll have to get another one to use on your hair. One that's safe for use on dyed hair."

She got another bottle and squeezed a dollop onto his head. When her fingers touched his scalp and started lathering the shampoo, Spike felt an electric jolt of pleasure shoot through him. He had always enjoyed having a woman wash his hair. The pleasant tingles shooting through his system had his toes curling and he was practically mewling and purring in pleasure. In fact it was starting to feel almost TOO good. Little Willy was starting to take note of the situation. Spike pressed a hand down against his growing erection and tried to think about something, anything to get Willy back down. He thought about Manchester United. He thought about Algebra. He finally succeeded by picturing Giles naked. Willy started behaving again.

When he was all clean and rinsed, Spike climbed out of the tub. Jacki handed him the towel and left the room to find him something clean to put on. She came back with his t-shirt and boxers warm and freshly laundered, and an old pair of scuffed brown leather men's slippers. Spike dressed and then sat down on the toilet so she could tend to his scraped up knee.

After a good brushing of his teeth and fangs, and a swipe of deodorant on his armpits, Spike joined Jacki in the living room. They sat in armchairs facing each other. Jacki had made a fresh pot of tea for the two of them and handed Spike an ashtray so he could have a smoke.

"So what brings you to Danville?"

"Danville, So that's where I'm at?"

"Yep. Danville, Illinois."

"Not to sound daft or anything, but what day is it and stuff?"

"It's Saturday, June the 11th, 2016."

"2016! Bloody hell! It was 2005 when I left Los Angeles!"

"I take it something odd has happened to you. Why don't you tell me all about it."


	6. Chapter 6

The best way to start any tale is to start at the beginning, so that's what Spike did. After lighting a fresh smoke, he started in with telling Jacki all about the night Drusilla turned him. From there, he went through his entire life story ending with the final battle he fought in alongside Angel and the others, and the meeting he had with the Powers that Be.

When he finished, Jacki was stunned. It was a fantastic tale, too strange to believe, and yet she knew Spike was telling the truth. Somehow she knew. She wiped her eyes with a Kleenex. A lot of the story had been sad and she cried easily. Spike patted her hand.

"There, there. Everything turned out alright in the end. We beat the bad guys and saved the world. Ol' Captain Forehead got the girl, and yours truly is undead and well here before you, and if Willy is good, he gets to be a real boy again."

"Now, you know my story, what's yours then Pet?"

Jacki took a sip of her tea before she spoke. She told Spike all about growing up in Danville and about her family and friends. She told of her travels and all the amusing anecdotes about the various fun things she had done through the years with friends and family. Spike listened with interest. He laughed heartily whenever a story was funny, and when Jacki told about losing her husband to a drunk driver after just five short years of marriage, he had to wipe away tears of his own. He knew what it was like to lose a loved one. It was never easy.

"So there you have it. The story of my life, all thirty-three years of it. It wasn't always easy, but I wouldn't change it. Let me be honest with you though. I don't know why you were sent here of all places, but I figure there must be a good reason. If you want to stay, I'd like you to very much. I've tried to live alone for two years now, and I just don't like it. All my life I've had someone to take care of. Someone to keep me company. Now I just putter around this house alone, and I get scared at night. I haven't slept well in quite awhile. So if you want to stay, you are more than welcome. You'll have your own room and we'll go out and get you some new clothes and anything else you might need or want. If you don't, well I'll give you enough money to get to wherever you want to go and send you on your way with my blessing."

Spike looked into her eyes for a moment. Those beautiful blue eyes so like his own. She was still so young, yet those eyes were the eyes of a woman with wisdom and experience. His path was clear for him, and it didn't take him long to decide. He stood up and went to kneel before her. Taking both of her hands in his, he locked eyes with her again.

"I'm staying."


	7. Chapter 7

They spent the rest of the day in just getting to know each other better. Spike was delighted to learn that Jacki shared his love for poetry. She brought out her leather bound poetry journal and he read every one of her poems and offered his advice on them. They had supper together, and once again, Jacki's talents were most impressive. As day turned into evening, and the sun began to sink into the west, turning the skies into a masterpiece of crimson, gold, and orange, they went outside and sat on the porch swing in the backyard.

The night air was fragrant from all the flowers planted around. Jacki pointed out any unique or interesting varieties she had growing in her garden. She asked Spike if he had a favorite flower.

"I've always been partial to daises. They were my mum's favorite flower, and Dru always liked them. Said they reminded her of the sun. That was one of the things she missed most after she was turned. What about you?"

"I've always liked roses best. I guess I get that from my grandfather. He built a beautiful rose trellis for my grandmother for an anniversary present one year, and it was always covered with all sorts of roses. Red ones mostly, but there was also a few yellow, pink, and white ones. That rose bush next to us actually grew from a cutting of one of his rose bushes. When I moved back here, one of the first things I did was go back to our old house and ask the people living there for a few cuttings."

For a long time they sat together and watched the stars come out. Both of them thinking that they had never seen a more beautiful night in all their lives.

The next day was Sunday, and Jacki was up and gone bright and early. She had bible study and church to attend, and afterwards she needed to go shopping for Spike. Before she left, she started a pot of coffee for him and penned a quick note explaining where she had gone and when she could be expected back. The note went on to say that he was to make himself at home and that her only request was that he clean up any dishes or cups he used after he was done with them.

Spike woke up a little after nine. He made his bed and walked upstairs. After using the toilet, he went into the kitchen to look for Jacki. He instead found the note on the kitchen table. It was pretty straightforward. He'd do some exploring around the house while she was gone and would keep things tidy. He helped himself to a cup of coffee and then started rummaging around in the fridge and cabinets to see what there was to eat. There was half a container of beef blood left so he heated it up and poured it into his empty coffee mug. Jacki didn't have any Wheatabix, but she did have Triscuits and they were sort of the same thing. He took a few of them and crushed them up into his mug. He found a spoon in a drawer.

Taking his breakfast into the living room, he sat down in one of the armchairs and flipped on the telly. He was impressed! Jacki had HD telly and a huge variety of channels for it too, plus something called Netflix which had movies and even more t.v. shows. Spike spent a good part of his day just browsing through the television channels and Netflix queues.

He noticed that the entertainment center had a couple of cabinets set into it and he opened them up. One was full of movies, the other contained c.d.'s and a few video games. Spike saw that Jacki's taste in movies ran toward Horror and Historical Drama, and her taste in music was mostly Country, 80's Rock, and Contemporary Christian. She was also a big Elvis fan, like her mother had been. Spike was a bit disappointed when he saw that she didn't have a copy of Crash Bandicoot, which was his favorite game, but when he ran across her copies of all the Grand Theft Auto games, Red Dead Redemption, and L.A. Noir, he changed his tune.

He looked at her books and went through her photo albums and yearbooks. He played a few songs on her piano. By the time Jacki returned later on that afternoon, Spike had explored the whole house from top to bottom.

While Spike was enjoying his day, Jacki had an enjoyable day of her own. After a wonderful and spiritually uplifting service, she headed into town to the local Wal-Mart. Spike needed clothes and that was the best place to get them. While he had been sleeping last night, she had checked his sizes on the clothes he had been wearing and wrote them down. She'd be able to get most of the things he would need today, but would have to make a return trip later on to get him ready for winter when cold weather came on.

Jacki had always enjoyed shopping for clothes and she had a good eye for what would look best on a person. Soon her cart was loaded down with everything he would need. After the clothes department, she went to the shoe department and picked him out a few new pairs of shoes. From there, she went to the body care aisle and picked him up a few toiletry items. Her last stop was the stationary aisle. Here she picked up a few posters and a package of push pins for his room.

When it was time to check out, the clerk's eyes grew wide as she saw the mountain of merchandise. The final total was pretty high, but Jacki just handed over her bank card and didn't think twice about it. After loading up the trunk with the bags, she climbed into her car and drove away. She had another stop to make before she went home.

It's always good to have a friend who runs a business. They'll usually help you get the best item you need at the best price and if you need something unusual, they can usually get it for you, no questions asked. Jacki was thankful to have a friend just like that. This friend in particular ran a butcher shop and he was always happy to help Jacki get choice cuts of meat on the cheap. When Jacki came in and requested a few gallons of beef blood, he didn't even bat an eye. He just gave her what she wanted and said if she needed more, she knew where to go.

When she came back home, she found Spike in the middle of a game of Red Dead Redemption, gleefully shooting his way through a pack of cougars.

"Afternoon Spike. Have a good day?"

"Sure did Pet, and I was a good boy and kept things clean. What about you?

"It was a very nice and productive day. I've got some things for you in the car, can you help me carry them in?"

"Sure thing Luv."

Spike paused his game and followed Jacki out to the garage to help carry in the shopping. When he saw the great pile of bags stuffed into the trunk and back seat, he chuckled and said, "Golly! You buy out the whole store Pet?" It took a few trips, but they got everything inside. Jacki stowed most of the gallons of blood in the big chest freezer in the garage and put another gallon in the fridge.

Coming back from the kitchen, she found Spike eagerly opening all of the bags and going through them. Leaning against the doorway, she watched and smiled at his childish excitement. There was something still so sweet and innocent about him and that was something she admired most. Jacki had always had the ability to see only the good in a person, and when she looked at Spike, she didn't see the bloodthirsty monster he once was, she saw the gentle, kindhearted man he was and could be again. She saw the Spike that constantly cheated at kitten poker so he could save as many kittens as he could from hungry demons. She saw the Spike that would gladly lay down his life and risk all that he had to save someone he loved.


	8. Chapter 8

As the summer days passed, Spike and Jacki soon settled into a comfortable routine with each other. They ate together and watched movies and TV. together. In the evenings they went on long walks together, or they'd go for a drive and Jacki would point out the different places she'd mentioned in her stories. On Wednesday nights, they'd have supper at church and Spike would stay and watch Jacki rehearse with the church choir. It was one of his favorite things to do. Jacki had a beautiful singing voice and it was always a pleasure to listen to her.

Every day was pleasant for them. Even the grayest, rainiest days were magical because those were the days Spike could join her outside in the daytime. Neither one realized it at first, but something was growing between them. Something that would change everything.

On his first night at Jacki's house, she had mentioned that she had trouble sleeping. Now for the first two months he spent living with her, he hadn't seen what she meant. Sure, she usually got up pretty early, but that wasn't a problem. She was just an early riser was all, and she was always quiet as a mouse early in the mornings. Then one night in August, Spike understood what she meant. It was an extremely hot and humid night. There was a thunderstorm, but the lashing rains did nothing to make the air any cooler. Instead, they just made everything even more humid.

The constant rumbles of thunder and bright flashes of light kept waking Spike up. He was just about to say the hell with it and just get up and go watch some TV. when he heard the first low whimper. At first he thought it was coming from outside. He climbed out of bed and walked to the window and peeked through the blinds. He thought he would see some small animal out there, but there was nothing to see but the thick, black night and the falling rain. As he was turning around to climb back into bed, he heard it again. The sound was louder and clearer this time and he was able to realize it was coming from Jacki's room. After slipping on a pair of boxer shorts, he went out into the hallway and quietly opened her bedroom door.

Jacki was in the grips of a terrible nightmare. She moaned and thrashed about on the bed. Spike saw that the covers and a few pillows had already fallen off the bed from her kicking and thrashing around. Even as he watched, one of arms sent another pillow coasting to the floor. He didn't know what she was dreaming about, but he knew she needed some sort of reassurance. Spike climbed into bed beside her and gently pulled her into his arms.

"Shhh. It's alright. Nothing to be frightened Luv. Spike's here. He won't let anything happen to you." He whispered soothingly to her as he stroked the sweat dampened curls off her forehead.

It took a while, but she calmed down and opened her eyes.

"Spike? What are you doing in here? What happened?"

Spike leaned over and switched on the lamp.

"You were having a nightmare. A pretty bad one. You remember what it was about?"

"Not really. All I remember was being trapped somewhere dark and not being able to get out. I think there was something chasing me. I called and called for help, but nobody came!" Her voice broke, and she started to cry.

Spike held her closer and leaned her head against his chest. Her tears felt warm against his cool skin. Gently he rocked her back and forth and whispered soothing words in her ear. After awhile she stopped crying and Spike tilted her head up to wipe her tears away.

"All better now?"

"Yes, Thank You."

She was calm again. He should really get up and go back to his own room so she could sleep, he thought, but he just couldn't seem to get his body to want to move. Instead he just laid there and studied her face. She was so beautiful. Oh how he wanted to kiss her, to hold her more, to make love to her! Dare he make a move? If he did, what would happen? Would she reciprocate? Would she pull away, or worse?

In the end, Spike's defenses broke down. Ever so carefully, he leaned down and kissed her.

When Jacki first felt the cool touch of Spike's lips, she was unsure of what to do. Should she kiss him back, or pull away? For days she had felt herself growing more and more fond of him, but could there be something more? Could Spike be the one to heal her broken heart? Maybe he was. Jacki threw caution to the winds and kissed him back.

With that first kiss, the little flame that had started to grow between them turning into a raging blaze. They surrendered themselves to pure, sweet pleasure. Spike removed his boxer shorts and pressed himself against her so she could feel his arousal. As he planted more kisses on her face and neck, he removed her nightgown and slipped off her panties.

When she lay naked before him, he took a moment to gaze at her and admire her in all her natural glory. The large, full breasts tipped with pink. The soft curves of her hips. Her strong, well shaped legs. Her luscious round bottom. The soft thatch of dark curls that covered her womanhood and the treasures that lay within. He leaned down and took a nipple in his mouth and began to suckle. Jacki mewled with pleasure as his cool tongue slipped around it. As he suckled her breasts, his hand traveled down her body, stroking her smooth skin until he reached the place he longed to touch the most.

He parted the soft downy hair and found her clitoris. He fingered it firmly. His touch sent a jolt of pleasure through her like an electric current and Spike had to hold her down a bit so she wouldn't buck away. She grew wet as he rubbed her clit and slipped a finger inside her opening to feel the velvety softness. Spike didn't know how much longer he could last. He was so hard for her now that he ached. Jacki sensed his need and reached down. As her hand encircled his erection, Spike gasped and moaned. Oh it felt so good!

Jacki grazed the tip gently with her fingers and spread around the pearly drops of pre-cum that were oozing from his slit. After shifting around, they were soon able to pleasure each other with their mouths. They licked, and sucked, and enjoyed the taste of each other's flesh. Soon Spike couldn't hold back anymore. He had to get inside her.

He laid her back down on the bed and pushed himself inside. She was so tight and so warm! There was so much pleasure, he thought he would die of it. It was the same for Jacki. She had had lovers before, but none like Spike. Every touch of his sent wave after wave of climaxes through her body. She pulled him close and urged him to go faster, harder!

As his own climax drew near, Spike thrust himself deeper within her. He panted and gripped the pillow under her head tightly. If his heart could beat, it would have been pounding out of his chest.

"Oh, Oh, Jacki! Ohhh Fuck!" He moaned as he came, filling her up with his hot seed.

He collapsed upon her, slick with sweat and utterly spent. Jacki brushed back his hair and kissed his forehead. Completely worn out, they slept blissfully in each other's arms.


	9. Chapter 9

When Jacki awoke late the next morning, she was a bit surprised to find Spike in her bed and even more surprised to find themselves naked. Then the memories of the past night's lovemaking came back to her. The old wounds were starting to heal at last.

Spike woke and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Good morning beautiful! Be honest with me, did little Willy treat you right last night?" He asked with an impish grin.

Jacki blushed and smiled. "I think you know the answer to that question. I assume it was good for you as well?"

"Never had better. You really know how to get a bloke hot and bothered and get him off!"

Jacki blushed again and gave him a playful swat on his rear.

"You've got some talents too in that department there Spike, and to be honest, I really wouldn't say he's a "little" Willy. I'd say he's more of a big one." With that, she got up and headed for the bathroom leaving Spike stunned and smiling on the bed. She was a cheeky little minx!

September came and with it Jacki's thirty-fourth birthday. Spike threw a surprise party for her and invited everyone of her friends and family who could come. It was a grand affair, held out at Kickapoo State Park. There was balloons and streamers, tons of food, big metal tubs filled with ice and beer, and soft drinks. People danced to the music from a hired D.J. One picnic table was loaded down with all sorts of presents. Toward the end of the party, Spike brought out a huge cake. It was a white cake with white icing trimmed with red sugar roses.

After making a joke about the number of candles of the cake and not wanting to start a forest fire, Jacki closed her eyes and made a wish. She wished that Spike's dream would come true.

Summer gave way to fall, and the changing seasons brought even more joy to Spike and Jacki. On Friday nights, they loaded up the car with blankets and a big thermos full of hot cocoa and went to the football games at Jacki's old high school. After the game, they usually stopped in to the nugget for a fried onion blossom or two and a drink. Spike soon found out that Jacki was very passionate about all the holidays and threw herself into them with reckless abandon.

When Halloween came around, they decorated the house, carved pumpkins, and dressed up for the church Halloween party and wiener roast. At Thanksgiving, Jacki cooked a huge feast and invited people over for dinner, including some folks from church that would have otherwise spent the holiday alone. Spike couldn't wait to see what she did for Christmas. What he didn't know was that this Christmas would be extra special.


	10. Chapter 10

Jacki leaned her head against the side of the toilet bowl and wearily mopped her face with a cold, wet washcloth. For three weeks now, she had gotten up sick every morning. She just prayed that Spike hadn't been able to hear her. The idea of anyone hearing her vomit was mortifying. When it first happened, she thought it was just a case of stomach flu. It was winter after all and the bug was going around, yet now she wasn't so sure.

When her stomach stopped jumping around enough for her to stand, she stood up and walked over to the sink to rinse out her mouth. Then she opened the medicine cabinet and pulled down the box she had purchased the day before from the pharmacy.

"I've got to be sure about this. If I'm right...what then?" She whispered.

When Spike came into the kitchen, he was taken aback to see Jacki just sitting at the table staring at a thin plastic stick at his place with a wide-eyed expression of disbelief on her face.

"What's got your dander up there Pet? You look like you expect that thing to jump up and bite you! What is it anyway?"

Spike sat down and picked the piece of plastic up and looked at it. There wasn't much to it. Just a long, slender piece of white plastic with a spongy bit at one end and two little windows on the front. In each of the windows was a pink line. Spike's brow furrowed as he tried to comprehend what he was holding. Then everything clicked into place. Her getting up sick every morning, her loss of appetite, the little caches of peppermints and soda crackers, and ginger candies she had stashed all over the house. Not to mention the fact he knew her monthly visitor was late. He wasn't a fool. He knew what the little marks on the bathroom calendar meant.

He looked up at her then. "You're...?"

She smiled and nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"For real and for true?"

Jacki nodded again and reached across the table to take his hand.

"How's this even possible?"

Spike and Jacki wondered indeed how it was even possible, but it was real alright. A doctor's appointment a few days later confirmed it. Jacki was pregnant. Spike was thrilled about the idea of becoming a father, and also terrified. One night he called Giles for advice.

"No, I don't know how it could be possible Spike. I've gone over every single text I own and there is nothing about a vampire-human pregnancy. The only thing mentioned about a vampire fathering a child is that one regarding Angel. I'm just as dumbfounded as you are."

"But Giles, you can't tell me anything? Even whether or not the baby will be human, if it will even live?"

Giles took off his glasses and polished them on his shirt. "I'm sorry Spike. There's really nothing I can say for sure. You care for her don't you?"

"More than anything. If anything was to happen to her or the baby, I don't know what I'd do."

"There is one thing you can do for her. If you truly love her, bond with her. You know what I mean."

As Jacki entered her second trimester, the morning sickness stopped and she felt much better. Already a little bump was forming on her stomach and she was starting to feel the first faint movements of the new life growing inside. There was never a more tender and attentive father to be than Spike. As Jacki's pregnancy progressed, he did everything he could to make sure she and the baby were healthy, safe, and comfortable. He didn't mind rushing out at odd hours of the night to get whatever she was craving. Boy did she ever crave some odd combinations of foods. One week it was pickles and chocolate pudding, the next it was liverwurst and Bermuda onion sandwiches with spicy mustard.

As her body went through its changes and her stomach and breasts grew larger, she was even more beautiful to his eyes. When they made love, he enjoyed playing with those large, soft breasts of hers and kissing that round, firm pregnant belly. He rubbed it down with lotion and talked to his unborn child.

Spike thought a long time about the bonding ritual. It would only work if both people involved truly loved each other. He had tried to do it once with Dru, but it didn't work because Angelus kept lousing the whole thing up. He tried to do it again later on with Buffy, but she hadn't been interested. He knew he loved Jacki. Loved her with all his heart. The question was, did she love him in return?

That night in bed, as he took her in his arms, he asked.

"Jacki darling. You know how much I love you, don't you?"

"Oh Spike, I know. I love you too."

"You do? Truly my dear?"

"With all my heart. You and our baby are the most important things in my life."

"Then will you allow me to try something dear? Something that will strengthen our bond and hopefully provide you and baby with even more protection?"

"What is it?"

"It's called a bonding ritual. I never told you this before, but most vampires mate for life. When a vampire chooses his or her life mate, they join together and then the male or dominate mate in the case of a same sex pair, bites the female or submissive and drinks some of their blood. Then gives them some of his or her own blood in return."

"I'm human thought, would it work on me?"

"Yes, If we truly love each other, which we do, it will work."

"But drinking your blood, won't that turn me?"  
"No, you'll only drink just a little drop and I'll do the same with yours. You won't turn and it won't hurt the baby any."

"Alright then. Do we have to mate a certain way?"

"It works better if I mate you from behind. I can reach your neck more easily."

When he had brought her as much pleasure as he could with his hands and mouth, Spike helped Jacki into a kneeling position and then he mounted her. He had to admit it felt even better this way. So raw and animalistic. Their inner beasts were unleashed. Underneath him, Jacki hissed and keened with pleasure, arching her back and butting into him to meet his thrusts.

As he came, his fangs distended and he nipped the scruff of her neck. Two scarlet drops of blood welled up from the tiny wounds. He licked them up. The taste of her was more exquisite than anything he could ever imagine. He scratched a thin line through the skin over his heart, bringing blood. Taking a drop of his blood on his finger, he held it down for her to drink. The instant the blood touched her lips, Jacki and Spike knew the ritual worked. The feeling of their love was even stronger and the baby leapt for joy in her womb.


	11. Chapter 11

Toward the end of her pregnancy, Jacki grew more and more uncomfortable as her due date drew near. Doctor Tanner, a grandson to the Doctor Tanner that had delivered Jacki had fixed her due date to be sometime during the second week of May. It was only the first week of April and she was more than ready to have the baby.

The room that Spike had first stayed in was now the nursery. The plain white walls were now covered with a whimsical pastel garden scene with Precious Moments cherubs and lambs, and other friendly animals. Spike had brought down the old baby furniture from the attic. The same crib, cradle, and changing table that Jacki had used as a baby would now be used by her own baby. They were all made of good solid oak, and hadn't needed much expect for some dusting and a fresh coat of varnish. All the crib and cradle linens and the changing table pad were Precious Moments themed too.

Spike's old dresser was now filled with all sorts of tiny baby clothes and blankets. The shelves under the changing table were stuffed with other baby supplies. A friend from church that did woodworking for a hobby had made her a beautiful rocking chair. It stood in the sunniest corner of the nursery near the window.

And there had been so many baby showers! Her cousins had thrown the first one, then her old school friends had given her one. Then the ladies at church had given her one. Even her old work colleagues had surprised her one night with a small shower. There was even a virtual baby shower. When Giles had heard of the pregnancy, he wasted no time in spreading the astounding good news to the rest of the Watcher's Council and to all the members of the Slayer Academy. Buffy and Dawn were especially overjoyed. They invited the Scooby Gang over to their place in Italy and Willow had hooked up the computer to a live video chat with Spike and Jacki.

It was wonderful for Spike to see the old gang again. His anger and jealousy towards Angel and Buffy were gone now. He was surprised to see that he and Buffy had children of their own. A boy and girl aged eleven. The boy's name was Wesley and the girl's name was Joyce. Even Connor was there enjoying the day with his own family. He had married a girl he met at Harvard and they had a son of their own and were expecting another baby come October.

Everyone had bought them gifts and Buffy had arranged for them all to sent to the states via airmail. She laughed and said she hoped they all arrived in one piece!

April ended and May begin. The spring days grew even warmer. Everywhere you looked, there were signs of new life. Jacki's labor began on Friday the 12th at 7:30 p.m. She had been washing the supper dishes when she felt the first contraction. At first she didn't even realize what it was. It was just such a little twinge, that she thought it was just gas. Then it happened again, and again, stronger each time. Spike was in the living room watching a rerun of Passions. Before she even had time to call for him, she felt a gush of warm fluid spill down her legs. Her water had broke!

Spike had a feeling that something was happening. He switched off the TV and walked into the kitchen. There he saw Jacki leaning against the sink for support, her face clenched in pain and the front of her nightgown wet. There was a large puddle under her feet.

"Spike, I think...Ouch!...I think it might be time!"

Spike sprung into action! He snatched the car keys off the hook and grabbed up the suitcase Jacki had packed weeks beforehand off the dining room table. Within moments they were in the car and racing towards the hospital.

Spike was all aflutter and trying to stay calm as best he could. Jacki puffed and panted next to him and occasionally squeezed his leg sharply when she felt another contraction. Spike was never more relieved than he was the moment they were safely at the hospital and Jacki was tucked into a bed in the Maternity Ward. It was hard to see her in so much pain though and he tried his best to make her as comfortable as possible. He fed her ice chips. He rubbed her back with one of the tennis balls from her bag. He rubbed down her feet and legs with her favorite body lotion. When she felt like walking, he walked her up and down the halls, carefully supporting her in his arms and making sure her IV lines and things didn't tangle or make her trip.

After what seemed like an eternity, the nurse had given the announcement that Jacki was fully dilated and that it was now time to push. The real work began. Spike was at her side whispering encouragements and wiping her face. Doctor Joseph Tanner Junior was down between her legs, ready to catch the baby when it came out.

Down the hall in the waiting room, friends and family were waiting patiently. Jacki's cousin Samantha had brought along the laptop and over in Italy via Skype, the Watcher's Council, the Scoobies, and the entire Slayer academy waited for the new arrival with bated breath.

"Spike I swear to God if you EVER touch me with that thing again, I'll break it off and shove it right in your fucking ear!" Jacki screamed. Spike jumped back in shock. He had never heard such salty language from her before! The nurse, a kindly middle aged lady who had seen plenty of births just chuckled and said "Don't take it to heart. A woman in labor can utter things to make a sailor blush, but she never means them."

At 5:00 a.m. on Saturday the 13th of May, Spike and Jacki's son was born. He was a big healthy baby with his father's blue eyes and blond curls. Jacki fell in love with him the second he was placed into her arms. Tears of joy ran down her face. As for Spike, he was downright giddy! There never was a prouder father anywhere. They decided to name him William Giles.

After little William was whisked off to the nursery, Spike walked down to the waiting room to let everyone know about the baby.

When he entered the room, several pairs of blue, brown, and hazel eyes turned toward him. For a moment no one spoke. Then Ryan, one of Jacki's eldest friends broke the silence.

"Well?"

Spike grinned brightly. "A boy! 8 pounds, seven ounces. Jacki says he looks just like me, but I think he has her nose at least. We named him William Giles and Mum and Baby are doing fine!"

A cheer arose from the room and the computer. Far away in Italy, Mr. Rupert Giles lost all composure at the news of his little namesake.


	12. Chapter 12

Little William was such a good healthy baby, that they were able to bring him home only a few days after he was born. The same group of people that had been at the hospital were at the house when the new family drove up. The house itself was absolutely covered with streamers and balloons and welcome signs. Spike and Jacki's favorite sign said "Welcome Home Little Miracle!" There were even more presents. Little William had so many cards, and flowers, and clothes, and toys that Jacki didn't know what to do with them all!

Her only regret was that William would never get to meet his grandparents. He'd know about them though. Jacki and Spike would make sure of that.

Parenthood suited them both excellently and little William was pretty good about sticking to a schedule and not worrying his mommy too much. Spike came in the room one night while Jacki was nursing. He just watched, not speaking for awhile. She was a real vision of perfection just then, dressed in her blue silk nursing gown with the moonlight streaming through window making her eyes sparkle like precious jewels. She was lovelier than a Raphael Madonna and the Goddess of Plenty combined.

The way a woman's body was meant to function amazed him. How a creature so small could also be strong enough to create and support new life and also be able to make food to nourish that life.

"Beautiful, Isn't he?" Jacki whispered.

"Yes, and so is his mother." Spike whispered, kissing her gently.

"What does it taste like anyway?"

"The milk? Sweet, I think. Care to try it?"

"Can I?"

Jacki nodded and opened up the other flap on the front of the gown, exposing her other breast. She pressed down on it with her fingers and a drop of milk appeared. Spike leaned down and swiped at the nipple with the tip of his tongue. It was warm and sweet.

"I don't suppose he'd be willing to share sometimes?"

"Perhaps he might."

"And that's really all he needs to eat?"

"For awhile. It gives him all the vitamins and minerals he needs to grow, plus anti-bodies from me to build up his immune system. When he's about four months old, we'll be able to start feeding him other things."

"It's amazing."

"Yes it is. You know what's even more amazing?"

"What?"

"The fact that he's sound asleep and will give us plenty of time to enjoy ourselves if you catch my drift."

Spike did, and once the baby was tucked into his crib for the night, they wasted no time in scooting off to their own bed.


	13. Chapter 13

It was wonderful to be able to make love properly again. Before the baby came, it had been difficult for them to find a comfortable position that wouldn't put pressure on Jacki's stomach and still satisfy them both. Now that the baby was born and Jacki was fully recovered from the pregnancy and birth, they could indulge themselves completely with each other once more.

For awhile they kissed and caressed every inch of each other's body, delaying their physical joining to let their passions build until they were mad with the need to become one. When the need was at its peak, Spike climbed on top of her and took himself in hand. After rubbing himself against her opening, wetting it down, he pushed inside with a groan.

They did not speak. The only sounds were her panting breath, the creaking bedsprings, and the slap of flesh on flesh. As he thrust into her, his hands roamed about her body. He kissed, and licked, and nipped her face and neck. Jacki arched her back to meet his thrusts, and with each climax she reached, she cried out and nipped at his neck or shoulder with her small, even teeth.

As Spike neared his own release, he suddenly became aware of a feeling of intense heat. The feeling grew. It was like someone had filled his veins with petrol and set a match to it. He wasn't the only one to feel it. Something was about to happen.

Finally, he couldn't hold back anymore. His seed, burning hot, came shooting out in a torrent. He groaned and shuddered from the strength of the climax. Satiated, he collapsed atop her.

Jacki held him close, kissing his cheek and stroking his sweat damp hair away from his brow. Then she felt something rather odd. A slight cool breeze by her ear. The ear that was closest to Spike's nose.

"Spike? I think you're breathing!"

"What's that you say luv?"

"You're breathing! At least I think you are!"

Spike sat up then and held his hand just under his nose. It was true, he was breathing again. What's more, his heart was beating again. He pulled Jacki into his arms and pressed her head against his chest.

"Mmm, Such a beautiful sound. That lovely thump-thump." She murmured.

He was a man again. The Powers that Be had done it.

It took awhile to get used to being human again. On his first full day of humanity he had accidently eaten too much and promptly vomited soon after, then had to spend the rest of the day in bed with an upset stomach when he wasn't racing to the toilet from the diarrhea. He also found that he had lost his taste for cigarettes. This was a good thing though. He had been planning on giving them up anyway for William's sake.

With a little help from a friend in government, he was soon all nice and legal. He had a birth certificate and a social security card, a green card, and a passport. To anyone else he was just another man. Just William Pratt Senior from London, England. Only Jacki and a handful of trusted friends knew different.

When December came around, they celebrated their first real Christmas together. Last year, Christmas had been sort of postponed due to the morning sickness. This year they were determined to do Christmas right. Friends and family flew in from all corners of the globe to be with them. The house was covered from top to bottom with every kind of Christmas decoration possible. Some were new, and some were old. The pride of place was the six foot fir tree. The Christmas tree was like a Christmas time capsule. Every ornament on it told a story.

And there were presents! Mountains of them! They completely covered every inch of floor space all around the tree, and were stacked on tables, and piled in closets. All different sizes, all wrapped in bright, shiny paper.

Then there was the food. Everything that was good to eat on Christmas was there in the house. Apples and oranges, fruitcakes, Christmas puddings, pies, cookies and candies, sticky sugar glazed fruits, nuts, a huge roast of beef, a huge roast turkey, and all the salads and vegetables and side dishes needed to make a proper Christmas dinner.

Snow fell on Christmas eve, just as everyone was gathered in the church for the Christmas eve service. Here too, everything was beautifully decorated, and every pew was filled. When Jacki mounted the stage to sing her solo, a hush fell over the room and every eye was fixed upon her. She looked like a Christmas angel in the red velvet gown she was wearing. The light from the spotlights above her forming a halo on her hair. With the first few notes of "Oh Holy Night," there wasn't a single dry eye in the room. As she sang, Jacki sent a silent prayer of thanks to heaven for all the blessings in her life.

On Christmas Morning, everyone woke early. There was a noisy race to the presents and the stockings and soon the living room was covered with crumpled paper. There was a constant stream of "Ooohs and Ahhs" and little squeaks of joy from the younger members of the group as each new present was revealed and examined. Dogs barked and wriggled with happiness from all the excitement, and the cat bounded from one pile of paper to the next in a fit of ecstasy from her new catnip mouse. It was a merry Christmas indeed!

When the last present had been opened, and the last ball of paper had been picked up and thrown away, Spike got up and said he had an announcement to make.

"Friends and Family, There's one more gift I need to hand out today. This gift is going to a very special lady. If I could give her the world, it wouldn't be nearly enough for all she's done for me. She has given me her love and companionship. She's given me my wonderful son. She has taken care of me when I was ailing and saved my ass on a number of occasions both figuratively and literally. In short, she has been everything to me that a woman can be to a man, except for one thing. I'd like to change that."

With that, he knelt before Jacki and pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. Taking her hand and looking deep into her eyes with so much love, he asked "Will you marry me?"

Jacki looked down at the beautiful ring and then up again at Spike's dear, sweet face. Her eyes filled with tears. "Yes! Yes I will marry you!" They sealed their engagement with a hearty kiss as everyone cheered.

The following June, a year to the day since they first met, Jacki Demchak married William Pratt. This time the crowd gathered in Vermilion Heights Christian Church was even larger. Not only was every pew filled from end to end, there were people filling the entryway clear out to the parking lot. After the ceremony, everyone met at Kickapoo State Park for the reception. They danced, and ate, and drank, and partied well into the night.


	14. Chapter 14

Spike sat holding her hand. The room was silent except for the soft ticking of the clock and her faint breathing. It wouldn't be long now. He looked down at her face, so pale now, her body so frail. Tears burned and stung his eyes. His heart was breaking. His angel, his wife, the true mate of his heart was dying. Spike looked up at the shelf above the bed. It was filled with all sorts of family photographs. William and his brother Andrew Alexander in their dress uniforms at their graduation from West Point. His older daughter, Willow Dawn in her prom dress standing in front of a white limousine with two of her girlfriends. His other daughter Winifred Tara, the baby of the family, standing proudly in her cap and gown, holding up her diploma. Their baby pictures were there as well as his and Jacki's wedding picture.

The sound of footsteps made him turn around. William was standing in the doorway. His young face wet with tears.

"Dad?"

"It's not long now Son. Where are your brother and sisters? They should be here when...when it's time."

"Andrew is in the kitchen with that man from the funeral home. Fred's on the phone with Uncle Angel. Willow's in her room crying."

"Call them in soon. Your mother shouldn't be alone."

Spike turned back to her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He would be strong for her sake. Even if his heart was breaking into a thousand shards, he would be strong for her sake. His sons and daughters gathered around her bed, all of them crying for they loved their mother dearly. She opened her eyes for the last time and smiled at them all as she drew her last breath. Then she was gone.

Everyone agreed that they couldn't have chosen a more beautiful place to lay her to rest in. On a sunny hill overlooking the swan pond at Sunset Cemetery, they laid her in the ground. A white marble angel holding a bouquet of roses was chosen for her marker. On the statue's base underneath her name and dates was inscribed a poem.

_Sitting patient in the shadow Till the blessed light shall come,_

_A serene and saintly presence sanctifies our troubled home._

_Earthly joys and hopes, and sorrows break like ripples on the strand of the deep and solemn river where her willing feet now stand._

_Henceforth safe across the river, I shall see forevermore_

_A beloved household spirit waiting for me on the shore._

_Hope and faith born of my sorrow, guardian angels shall become,_

_and my love now gone before me, by her hands shall guide me home._

The poem was written by Louisa May Alcott. It had been one of Jacki's favorites, and after a slight adjustment of a line, Spike thought it suited her excellently. She was safe now and at peace. The marble mausoleum her parents were entombed in stood nearby. It was like they were keeping watch over her. He knelt and brushed a kiss upon the stone.

"Fairwell for now my dearest. You say a good word for Ol' Willy up there now so I can see you again. Don't worry about the little nippers. I'll take good care of them. You just rest now."


	15. Chapter 15

_The caretaker was the one who found my father. He must have known somehow that he was dying. He had came out to visit my mother as usual, bringing with him one of his poems and a bouquet of roses. When he was found, he was smiling. _

The last thing Spike remembered was being at the cemetery. The next thing he knew he was standing in a lovely garden somewhere. The place had a familiar feel, but he hadn't seen it before, or had he? Off in the distance he could see two figures approaching him. The figures at last came into view. One was a man dressed in a shining white robe, the other was, no, it couldn't be...he thought. But it was! It was his own dear wife, young and whole, and alive again!

"What is this place?"

"The entrance to paradise. You were here once before. It is the place where all creation starts and all questions are answered." Jacki replied.

"You mean, this is heaven?"

"For some it is. It goes by many names. It's different for everyone according to their beliefs. What it is for everyone is a place of eternal love and peace." The man answered.

"And you are?"

"I am the One. The Beginning and the End. The Creator of all things. The Powers that Be."

"You mean you're God?! The one and only God?"

"Yes."

"Blimey! I've met God! Now what?"

"Now you come home." Jacki said with a smile and held out her hand. He took her hand and together they walked into paradise side by side.


End file.
